silverstein

Book Review4+ of 5 stars to Where the Sidewalk Ends, a collection of poetry published in 1974 by Shel Silverstein. What a wonderful book to read with children at any age; that is, both any age for the reader and the children! I first read this book when I was about 10-years-old, and then again in college. From the brilliant characters to the alliteration and rhyme, to the memorable lines and funny situations, it’s one of those books where you will find something new each time you read it.

I cannot imagine being this creative. I can dream up stories about real people and situations and have written several, but to have an imagination where animals and things can talk, have emotions, interact in peculiar ways… to find the words to compare and contrast… to describe and draw precious creations… is true talent. I admire Silverstein’s massive fantasy world of freedom. He was so unconstrained in his ability to develop a world with just enough charm and beauty to win us all over. It’s a book all about perception, but without taking the didactic and pedantic approach.

Children see things differently than adults. Adults have limits. Children have experiences. But what happens on the other side… where something is too far to see, or too close to imagine? Who lives in the crack between cement blocks? The world of freedom does… and that’s where Silverstein wants us to go, where we are all equal, without preconceived notions… to be able to explore as if we are seeing something for the first time… and connecting with everyone around us. That’s how to motivate readers with this book… children learning to see more than what they actually see.

I could go on and on… but I’ll stop. It’s just a wonderful way to learn.

About MeFor those new to me or my reviews… here’s the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you’ll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I’ve visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.